Difficult Situations

As with any major student issue or concern, it is IMPERATIVE that you communicate with yoru supervisor if you think you have a resident who is considering suicide. Remember, you are not a professional! The following is a guideline, but always remember your job is to REFER!

In the early part of this school year, I was called into my Hall Director’s office to recieve some bad news. One of my residents, Curt, had died in a car accident that monday morning. He forgot his laundry from the weekend, and decided to drive home before his afternoon classes to get it. […]

Last semester was my first semester as an RA. I had a floor of 67 coed first-year students. Late in the year, one of my residents, who had become a friend of mine, killed himself. I found him in his room within 2 hours after he hung himself. It was […]

It is something that Residence Life staff everywhere hope never to have to deal with, yet the threat is real. RA training touches upon it barely, if at all. What I talk about is a critical incident, not somewhere else or even off-campus, but right in the residence halls. A tragedy in our homes.

Q. Unfortunately, part of the RA job is confronting negative behavior. This can be a tough role to take on, especially since the relationships we have with the residents are so important. What are some suggestions you have for these conforntations?

A. Treat residents with respect..but realize that their opinion of you is not a […]

I had a resident on my floor attempt suicide about half way through the fall semester of this year. One thing that is very important to do is to talk to the residents that are involved. They may feel “weird” when it comes to daily interactions with the suicidal resident. I have had to […]